Oral Care Implement Having Fluid Delivery System

ABSTRACT

An oral care implement has a head portion with tooth cleaning elements on a front surface thereof and a reservoir containing a fluid. A delivery member extends through at least a portion of the oral care implement to deliver the fluid from the reservoir to an applicator that may be positioned on the rear surface of the head. In one aspect, the applicator and the delivery member may be separate components that are fluidly coupled to one another. The applicator and the delivery member may both be formed of a capillary material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/953,896, filed Jul. 30, 2013, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/626,617, now U.S. Pat. No.8,517,728, filed Jan. 24, 2007, the entireties of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Oral care implements, particularly toothbrushes, are typically used byapplying toothpaste to a bristle section followed by brushing regions ofthe oral cavity, e.g., the teeth, tongue, and/or gums. Some toothbrusheshave been equipped with fluid reservoirs and systems for deliveringauxiliary active agents, such as whitening agents, breath fresheningagents, and the like. There is a continuing need for alternative oralcare implements for delivering auxiliary active agents.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention pertains to an oral care implement having acapillary delivery system. Optionally, the oral care implement has ahead containing tooth cleaning elements on a first surface thereof.

In one embodiment, an oral care implement includes a reservoircontaining at least one active agent. A variety of active agents can beadministered for therapeutic, hygienic, and/or other benefits, such asfresh breath, tooth whitening, or producing sensations of heat, cool, ortingling.

In another embodiment, an oral care implement includes a capillarychannel extending through at least a portion of the implement to deliverthe active agent to one or more outlets. In one embodiment, an outlet islocated on a second surface of the head generally opposite the firstsurface that contains the tooth cleaning elements.

In yet another embodiment, an oral care implement has a head containingtooth cleaning elements, a reservoir for storing a fluid containing atleast one active agent, and an overflow chamber. The reservoir andoverflow chamber may be separated by a partition. A capillary channelconstructed from a fibrous material, ceramic, porous plastic, orcombination thereof extends through at least a portion of the implementto deliver the active agent to one or more outlets.

In another embodiment, an oral care implement has a head containingtooth cleaning elements, a reservoir containing at least one activeagent, a capillary channel extending through at least a portion of theimplement to deliver the active agent to one or more outlets, and amotion-producing device. When activated, the motion-producing devicevibrates the implement or a portion thereof, such as the head portion.The vibration enhances the function of the tooth cleaning elements andalso promotes delivery of the active agent through the capillarychannel, which together provides an enhanced cleaning action.

In still another embodiment, an oral care implement has a head and ahandle, the head having a front surface and an opposing rear surface, atleast one tooth cleaning element extending from the front surface; areservoir for storing a fluid; an applicator positioned on the rearsurface of the head; a delivery member extending from the reservoir tothe applicator; and wherein the applicator and the delivery membercomprise a capillary material.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It shouldbe understood that the detailed description and specific examples, whileindicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended forpurposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing more detailed description of certain embodiments of theinvention and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a toothbrush according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the head of the toothbrush shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the head of the toothbrush shown inFIG. 1;

FIGS. 4-7 show examples of capillary configurations that can be usedwith the oral care implement;

FIG. 8 is an exploded assembly perspective view of an oral careimplement according to one or more aspects of an illustrativeembodiment;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of a head of an oral careimplement of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the oral care implement of FIG. 8 illustratinga tongue cleaning feature;

FIG. 11 is a partial section view of a head of the oral care implementof FIG. 8 taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the oral care implement of FIG. 8 illustratingat least one tooth cleaning configuration; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective of the view of the oral care implementillustrating example tooth cleaning elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention,its application, or uses.

The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles ofthe present invention is intended to be read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entirewritten description. In the description of embodiments of the inventiondisclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merelyintended for convenience of description and is not intended in any wayto limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as“lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,”“down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g.,“horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed torefer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawingunder discussion. These relative terms are for convenience ofdescription only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed oroperated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated assuch. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,”“interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structuresare secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectlythrough intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigidattachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated byreference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the inventionexpressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodimentsillustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that mayexist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of theinvention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each andevery value that is within the range. Any value within the range can beselected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references citedherein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In theevent of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and thatof a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a toothbrush having a handle 1 and ahead 2 containing one or more tooth cleaning elements, such as bristles6 and/or elastomeric cleaning elements 7. A reservoir 11 is provided forstoring a medium containing an active agent. The medium is most often inthe form of a liquid, but can be in other forms, e.g., semi-solid,paste, or gel. The reservoir 11 can include a liquid storage tank 11 ain fluid communication with a delivery section 11 b. A capillary channel14 (also referred to herein as a delivery member) generally extends inthe longitudinal direction of the toothbrush for delivering the activeagent from the reservoir 11 to at least one outlet 15 (also referred toherein as an applicator).

In one aspect, the outlet 15 can be located on a surface of the head 2generally opposite the surface that contains the tooth cleaning elements6 and 7. In another aspect, the outlet 15 can be located within thebristles 6 and/or elastomeric cleaning elements 7. Optionally, aplurality of outlets may be provided on both the surface of the headthat contains the tooth cleaning elements as well as the oppositesurface of the head, e.g., for delivering the same active agent from acommon supply or different active agents from separate supplies.

The channel 14 uses capillary action to draw liquid from the reservoir11 to the outlet 15. The outlet 15 can be configured as a non-woven pad,membrane or other structure that allows passage of the medium containingthe active agent. Examples of materials that can be used for the outletinclude porous plastics and other porous materials, such as thosedescribed below with reference to the capillary channel 14.

The capillary channel 14 generally has a capillary structure and usuallyis a porous material. Examples of suitable materials include fibrousmaterials, ceramics, and porous plastics such as those available fromPorex Technologies, Atlanta, Ga. One example of a fibrous material is anacrylic material identified as type number C10010, available from TeibowHanbai Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. A mixture of porous and/or fibrousmaterials may be provided which have a distribution of larger andsmaller capillaries. The channel can be formed from a number of smallcapillaries that are connected to one another, or as a larger singlecapillary tube.

The reservoir 11 may be formed from any suitable material and mayinclude reticulated foam, which may range from hydrophilic tohydrophobic. Hydrophobic foams may be used with non-water based liquids.An example of a reticulated foam is Bulpren S90, manufactured byRecticel (Wetteren, Belgium). Bulpren S90 is an open cell polyurethanefoam based on polyester which averages 90 pores per inch. Other examplesof materials that can be used for the reservoir 11 include ceramics andporous plastics.

Non-limiting examples of capillary configurations that can be used areshown in FIGS. 4-7. The capillary devices 10 generally have a housing 20that includes a reservoir 11 for storing fluid 13 and an overflowchamber 25. The reservoir 11 and overflow chamber 25 may be separated bya partition 21, for example, or otherwise separated such as describedbelow with reference to FIG. 7. The reservoir 11 may be an integral partof housing 20 or a separate element connected to the housing. An inlet22 allows air to flow freely into and out of overflow chamber 25.

Partition 21 may include an opening 12 which is closed by the capillarychannel 14. The channel 14 generally extends from the opening 12 to theoutlet 15 and is in direct contact with a capillary storage 16. Theaverage capillarity of the capillary storage 16 is generally smallerthan the average capillarity of channel 14. Although the capillarystorage is arranged about the periphery of capillary channel 14, it doesnot necessarily extend all the way around the channel. Strict separationof capillary storage 16 and channel 14 is not necessary.

The capillary channel 14 can be press-fit into an opening in the handle1 or, alternatively, the handle 1 can be overmolded around the capillarychannel 14. The capillary channel 14 generally provides the only path bywhich air can enter the otherwise closed reservoir 11. The finercapillaries of channel 14 transfer fluid to the outlet 15. The largercapillaries allow air to enter the reservoir 11. In general, air canenter through at least the largest capillary in the channel.

With reference to FIG. 5, by way of example, when air expansion takesplace within the reservoir 11, a portion of the fluid 13 in thereservoir 11 will be transferred through an opening 12 and channel 14into the normally fluid-free portions of capillary storage 16. In otherwords, capillary storage 16 receives excess fluid and preventsuncontrolled leakage of the fluid from the outlet 15, or other portionsof the implement. The excess fluid in capillary storage 16 will returnto the reservoir 11 through channel 14 when the pressure in thereservoir 11 subsides. This process is repeated whenever temperaturefluctuations, for example, cause air volume fluctuations within thereservoir 11. As the fluid stored in capillary storage 16 is alwaysreturned to reservoir 11, the capillary storage will not already befilled to capacity when there is an air expansion. Also, even thoughchannel 14 is continuously wetted with fluid, at least in the area ofopening 12, air cannot interrupt the return of the fluid 13 to thereservoir 11 as long as there is fluid in the capillaries of the storage16 which are larger than the largest pore in the channel 14.

Although the outlet 15 is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 6 as aseparate element from the channel 14, it should be recognized that theoutlet 15 may alternatively be integral with the channel 14, asschematically shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. When the outlet 15 is formed froma porous material, its pores generally should be smaller than those ofthe channel 14 to ensure that the fluid in the channel 14 will flowtoward the outlet 15 during dispensing. With reference to FIGS. 4 and 6,channel 14 may be configured so that it extends into area 19 near thereservoir base 18. In this type of configuration, the capillary storageand the capillary channel 14 usually are enclosed by a tube 24. The tube24 provides additional protection against unwanted leakage.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, capillary storage 16 and capillarychannel 14 are separate structural elements and the channel 14 extendsinto base area 19. In the configuration shown in FIG. 6, a mixture ofporous materials having the requisite combination of capillary sizesform a unitary capillary storage 16 and channel 14.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 5, channel 14 and capillary storage16 define a unitary structural element similar to that shown in FIG. 6.The rear portion 140 of the integral channel and capillary storage istapered so that it may be received in opening 12. To ensure that thereis a sufficient amount of fine, fluid transferring capillaries in theopening 12, this portion of the combined channel/storage may be pinchedtogether at the opening in a defined manner. The rear portion 140 mayalso be provided as a separate element that is connected to thecapillary storage.

As shown, for example, in FIG. 7, capillary channel 14′ may beconfigured so that it includes a radially extending portion thatseparates the reservoir 11 from the overflow chamber 25. The channel 14′and radially extending portion fill the opening between the reservoir 11and the overflow chamber 25. The pores in the radially extending portionmay be substantially similar to those in the channel 14′ and allow airto pass, but block the flow of fluid. As a result, the radiallyextending portion may be used to regulate the flow of air into thechannel 14′.

Examples of capillary fluid systems of this general type are shown, forexample, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,102,251; 5,352,052; 6,089,776; 6,095,707;6,164,858; 6,183,155; 6,322,268; and 6,497,527, the disclosures of whichare hereby incorporated by reference.

In another aspect, a vibratory device can be provided to vibrate thetoothbrush or a portion thereof, such as the head 2 or a portionthereof. The vibration-producing device can be used to vibrate toothcleaning elements 6 and 7 and/or soft tissue cleaning elements while, atthe same time, promote delivery of the active agent(s) through thecapillary channel 14 to provide an enhanced cleaning action.

A wide variety of vibratory devices can be used to produce vibrationsover a wide range of frequencies to meet the needs of a particularapplication. Various types of vibratory devices are commerciallyavailable, such as transducers. One example of a vibratory deviceprovides frequencies in the range of about 100 to 350 kHz. The vibrationfrequencies may be of different waveforms, including sinusoid, square,sawtooth and the like. Nevertheless, other values and waveforms arepossible. A vibratory device may be located in head of the toothbrush orneck thereof. When activated, vibratory device is powered by battery(and controlled by electronics on circuit board or switching system) soas to induce vibrations in head of the toothbrush and thereby enhancesteeth-cleaning action imparted by the tooth cleaning elements. Inalternate embodiments, a vibratory device may include a micro motorattached to a shaft, with the shaft coupled to an eccentric rotatingabout an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush. Instill other embodiments, a vibratory-producing device includes aneccentric that is driven by a micro motor in a translatory manner.

A switch, such as a button, toggle switch, rotating dial, or the like,can be provided for activating the vibratory device. A vibratory deviceoften has a power source, such as a battery. Activating the switch cancause the vibration-producing device to operate for a user-definedinterval (e.g., during the time that a button is depressed or a switchis in an engaged position), or alternatively can activate a timingcircuit that causes the vibratory device to operate for a predeterminedinterval. If a timing circuit is used, the associated interval eithermay be preset or may be adjustable, e.g., by a user-activated rotatingdial.

Additional embodiments of the invention include configurations ofvibratory device(s), bristles (or other tooth cleaning elements) andother components as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/768,363 (filed Jan. 30, 2004 and titled “Toothbrush with EnhancedCleaning Effects”), published as U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 20050091769A1,incorporated by reference herein. For example, the neck portion of thetoothbrush can be provided with neck-part zones made of an elasticallyrelatively compliant material so as to increase the elasticity of theneck part. This would permit the head, during use of the toothbrush, tobe forced back resiliently in the case of forces acting in the directionof the brushing surface. Optionally, the neck-part zones could bedesigned as notches which extend over part of the neck circumference andare filled with elastically compliant material (e.g. with thermoplasticelastomer).

The outlet 15 can be incorporated into an elastomeric material toprovide a tissue cleanser, which can be used, for example, for cleaningthe tongue, cheeks, lips, and/or gums. A tissue cleaner may employ avariety of suitable biocompatible resilient materials, such aselastomeric materials. To provide optimum comfort as well as cleaningbenefits, an elastomeric material usually has a hardness property in therange of A8 to A25 Shore hardness, such asstyrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS), available fromGLS Corporation.

A tissue cleanser can be configured with a multiplicity of tissueengaging elements, which can be formed as nubs. As used herein, a “nub”is generally meant to include a column-like protrusion (withoutlimitation to the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion) which isupstanding from a base surface. In general, the nub can have a heightthat is greater than the width at the base of the nub as measured in thelongest direction. Nubs also can include projections wherein the widthsand heights are roughly the same or wherein the heights are somewhatsmaller than the base widths.

Such tissue engaging elements can help reduce a major source of badbreath and improve hygiene. Nubs enable removal of microflora and otherdebris from the tongue and other soft tissue surfaces within the mouth.The tongue, in particular, is prone to develop bacterial coatings thatare known to harbor organisms and debris that can contribute to badbreath. This microflora can be found in the recesses between thepapillae on most of the tongue's upper surface as well as along othersoft tissue surfaces in the mouth. When engaged or otherwise pulledagainst a tongue surface, for example, the nubs of elastomeric tissuecleanser can provide for gentle engagement with the soft tissue whilereaching downward into the recesses of adjacent papillae of the tongue.The elastomeric construction of a tissue cleanser also enables the basesurface to follow the natural contours of the oral tissue surfaces, suchas the tongue, cheeks, lips, and gums of a user. In addition, the softnubs are able to flex as needed to traverse and clean the soft tissuesurfaces in the mouth along which it is moved.

The nubs often are conically shaped, such as in the shape of a truecone, frusto-conically shaped elements, and other shapes that taper to anarrow end and thereby resemble a cone irrespective of whether they areuniform, continuous in their taper, or have rounded cross-sections. Thesmaller width or diameter of the tip portion in conjunction with thelength of the conically shaped nub enable the nubs to sweep into therecesses of the tongue and other surfaces to clean the microbialdeposits and other debris from the soft tissue surfaces. The nubs alsoare able to flex and bend from their respective vertical axes as lateralpressure is applied during use. This flexing enhances the comfort andcleaning of the soft tissue surfaces. Alternatively, tissue cleaningelements may have other shapes. As one example, the tissue cleanser mayhave different forms, including grated forms, such as described inco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/566,479, filed Dec. 4,2006, which is incorporated herein by reference.

The medium containing the active agent can be incorporated into a sealedreservoir 11 during manufacture of the toothbrush, in which case thetoothbrush can be disposed of after the supply of the active agent isexhausted. Alternatively, the reservoir 11 can be refillable through aninlet (not shown), and/or can be replaceable, e.g., by inserting areplaceable cartridge into a recess in the toothbrush. The cartridge canbe spring-loaded to stay in place after insertion, and can have a sealto prevent unwanted leakage of the active agent.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the toothbrush can comprise a brush section Aand a reservoir section B that are joined to each other, e.g., bythreaded engagement, snap-fitting, or the like. The reservoir section Bcan be disposable, refillable, and/or interchangeable with otherreservoir sections B containing different active agents, for example.

Optionally, a user-activated switch, such as a dial (not shown), canhave multiple settings for selecting one or more of several activeagents. For example, the dial can have a first setting foroxidizer/whitener treatment, a second setting for breath freshenertreatment, and a third setting for antimicrobial treatment. Thetoothbrush can be supplied in the form of a kit including a toothbrushor a brush section A thereof, and one or more cartridges or reservoirsections B containing active agent(s). Multiple cartridges can beprovided, for example, for supplying different active agents or areplacement supply of the same active agent.

In FIG. 1, a toothbrush is shown schematically having a head 2, bristles6, and a handle 1. It should be understood that any bristleconfiguration and any handle configuration can be used, and the presentinvention should not be regarded as being limited to any particularconfiguration.

The toothbrush can be used by brushing the teeth or gums using bristles6 and/or other tooth cleaning elements and/or by massaging the tongue,gums, or other regions of the oral cavity with a tissue cleanser. Theactive agent can be administered through one or more outlets present inor near the tooth cleaning elements and/or within the tissue cleanserand/or on other locations on the toothbrush. Depending on the type ofactive agent used and the location of the outlet(s), the active agentcan be administered before, during, or after brushing.

Non-limiting examples of active agents which can be used includeantibacterial agents, whitening agents, anti-sensitivity agents,anti-inflammatory agents, anti-attachment agents, plaque indicatoragents, flavorants, sensates, and colorants. Examples of these agentsinclude metal ion agents (e.g., stannous ion agents, copper ion agents,zinc ion agents, silver ion agents) triclosan; triclosan monophosphate,chlorhexidine, alexidine, hexetidine, sanguinarine, benzalkoniumchloride, salicylanilide, domiphen bromide, cetylpyridinium chloride,tetradecylpyridinium chloride, N-tetradecyl-4-ethylpyridinium chloride(TDEPC), octenidine, delmopinol, octapinol, nisin, essential oils,furanones, bacteriocins, flavans, flavinoids, folic acids, vitamins,hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, sodium percarbonate, PVP-H₂O₂,polymer-bound perxoxides, potassium nitrates, occluding agents,bioactive glass, arginine salts, arginine bicarbonate, bacalin,polyphenols, ethyl pyruvate, guanidinoethyl disulfide, tartar controlagents, anti-stain ingredients, phosphate salts, polyvinylphosphonicacid, PVM/MA copolymers; enzymes, glucose oxidase, papain, ficin, ethyllauroyl arginate, menthol, carvone, and anethole, various flavoringaldehydes, esters, and alcohols, spearmint oils, peppermint oil,wintergreen oil, sassafras oil, clove oil, sage oil, eucalyptus oil,marjoram oil, cinnamon oil, lemon oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil, and/ororange oil.

The active agent and/or its medium can be selected to complement atoothpaste formula, such as by coordinating flavors, colors, aesthetics,or active ingredients. A flavor can be administered to create a gradualflavor change during brushing, which presently is not possible usingtoothpaste alone.

The active agent may be compatible with toothpaste, or may be unstableand/or reactive with typical toothpaste ingredients. The active agentalso may be a tooth cleaning agent to boost the overall efficacy ofbrushing.

The active agent can be provided in any suitable vehicle, such as inaqueous solution or in the form of gel or paste. Non-limiting examplesof vehicles include water, monohydric alcohols such as ethanol,poly(ethylene oxides) such as polyethylene glycols such as PEG 2M, 5M,7M, 14M, 23M, 45M, and 90M available from Union Carbide,carboxymethylene polymers such as Carbopol® 934 and 974 available fromB.F. Goodrich, and combinations thereof. The selection of a suitablevehicle will be apparent to persons skilled in the art depending on suchfactors as the properties of the active agent and the desired propertiesof the medium, such as viscosity. Examples of tooth whiteningcompositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,770,266 and 6,669,930, thedisclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The reservoir 11 can contain a quantity of the active agent mediumintended for a single use or a small number of uses, or may facilitaterepeated use over an extended period of time, e.g., up to several monthsor several years. The size of the reservoir 11 can be selected to becompatible with the desired overall dimensions of the toothbrush as wellas such factors as the stability of the active agent and the quantity ofmedium administered during each application.

The supply of active agent in the reservoir 11 generally is free orsubstantially free of components which are incompatible with the activeagent and/or the medium containing the active agent, such asincompatible toothpaste components as previously identified.

The toothbrush optionally can be provided with compartments and/oraccess panels for access to the various components, such as the powersource and reservoir. The power source can be, for example, areplaceable or rechargeable battery as well known.

FIGS. 8-13 illustrate an oral care implement, such as a toothbrush 100,having a handle 103 and a head 105 which may be used for cleaning theteeth and soft tissue in the mouth, such as the tongue, interiorsurfaces of the cheeks, lips or the gums. Handle 103 is provided for theuser to readily grip and manipulate the toothbrush, and may be formed ofmany different shapes and constructions. While the head is normallywidened relative to the neck of the handle, it could in someconstructions simply be a continuous extension or narrowing of thehandle. The head 105 can have a first face 106 that supports toothcleaning elements 107 (FIGS. 12 and 13) and a second face 108 thatsupports a tissue cleanser 300 (FIGS. 9 and 10), which can have one ormore outlets for dispensing active agent(s) as previously described. Thefirst and second faces 106, 108 can be disposed on opposite sides ofhead 105. Nevertheless, tissue cleanser 300 may be mounted elsewhere,such as the proximal end 104 of handle 103. The tissue cleanser 300 orportions of it may also be located on the peripheral sidewall surface101 of head 105 or extend farther towards the proximate end 104 ofhandle 103 than illustrated.

Tissue cleanser 300 can be configured with a multiplicity of tissueengaging elements 303 (FIGS. 8-12), which can be formed as nubs.

As seen in FIGS. 9 and 11, the nubs 303 can be conically shaped. Withreference to FIG. 11, the base portion 305 of each conically shapedtissue engaging element 303 can be larger than the corresponding tipportion 307. In this conically shaped configuration, the base portion305 has a wider cross-sectional area to provide effective shear strengthto withstand the lateral movement of the tissue cleanser 300 along thesurface of the tongue or other soft tissue surface.

As seen in FIG. 10, nubs 303 can be disposed in longitudinal rows in adirection generally parallel to the longitudinal axis a-a. Further, nubs303 are disposed in transverse rows R1, R2 on an axis parallel to basesurface 301 and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis a-a.Adjacent nubs 303 can be provided on the base surface 301 in a staggeredarrangement. For example, adjacent transverse rows of nubs R1 and R2 canhave nubs 303 that are not directly behind each other. A first nub issaid herein to be “directly behind” second nub when it is located withinthe lateral bounds of the second nub extending in a longitudinaldirection. This configuration enables improved cleaning of the softtissue surfaces by facilitating the removal of microflora and otherdebris, and especially from the recesses of adjacent papillae of thetongue. Nonetheless, the nubs could be arranged randomly or in a myriadof different patterns.

Tongue cleanser 300 can be formed by being molded to head 105, althoughother manufacturing processes could be used. With reference to FIGS. 8and 11, tissue cleanser 300 can be molded within a basin or a receivingcavity 111 in face 108 of head 105. The receiving cavity 111 has a lowerbase surface 113 and a peripheral sidewall 115 extending away from thelower base surface 113. In one mounting arrangement, nubs 303 of thetissue cleanser 300 are exposed for use with the base surface of thetissue cleanser 300 being flush or recessed relative to the surface 114of the head. Nevertheless, other orientations are possible. Also, basesurface 301 of the tissue cleanser could be embedded in head 105 orcovered by another layer with nubs 303 projecting through appropriateopenings.

As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 11, face 108 also can include one or morepeg members 117 a-c disposed within basin 111. Peg members 117 formanchor points against the opposing mold to prevent the head from movingunder the pressure of the injection molding. As a result, tissuecleanser 300 can include one or more complementary apertures 311 a-cwhich exposes the tops of peg members 117 a-c. Although, the pegs areillustrated in alignment along the centerline of the head (e.g.longitudinal axis a-a), the pegs could have many different positions.Further, the pegs and basin can both be included with head 105, buteither could be used without the other.

Alternatively, basin 111 and peg members 117 a-c may be provided toposition and hold a previously molded tissue cleanser, although theseconstructions are not necessary to use such a previously molded tissuecleanser.

Peg members 117 a-c may take on a variety of shapes and lengths. Withcontinued reference to the FIGS. 8 and 11, head 105 includes peg members117 a-c extending away from the lower base surface 113 of basin 111 tothe height of the peripheral sidewall 115. The peg members 117 a-c areshaped in the form of a cylinder, but other shapes and lengths of thepeg members 117 a-c are possible. While the molding process can be usedto bond the tissue cleanser to the head, the tissue cleanser could bepreformed and attached by adhesive or other known means.

As shown in FIGS. 8-11, tissue cleanser 300 can be formed as a padcomposed of a soft and pliable elastomeric material for comfortablecleaning and effective removal of bacteria and debris disposed on thesurface of the tongue, other soft tissue in the mouth and even along thelips, as well as for dispensing the active agent(s) as previouslydescribed. The tissue cleanser 300 also can provide effective massaging,stimulation and removal of bacteria, debris and epithelial cells fromthe surfaces of the tongue, cheeks, gums or lips.

Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, the tooth cleaning elements 107 of head105 may include a variety of tooth cleaning elements which can be usedfor wiping, cleaning and massaging the user's teeth and gums. Anysuitable form of tooth cleaning elements may be used. The term “toothcleaning elements” is used in a generic sense which refers to filamentbristles or elastomeric fingers or walls that have any desirable shape.In the illustrated example of FIG. 12, tooth cleaning elements 107include distal tooth cleaning elements 203 a-b disposed at a distal tip121 of head 105, peripheral tooth cleaning elements 205 a-l,longitudinal tooth cleaning elements 207 a-c disposed along longitudinalaxis a-a, arcuate tooth cleaning elements 209 a-d and 211 a-b, andproximal cleaning elements 213 a,b. Tooth cleaning elements 205, 207,211 and 213 can be provided as tufts of bristles whereas tooth cleaningelements 209 can be formed as elastomeric walls. Nevertheless, otherforms and types of tooth cleaning elements may be used.

It will be understood that while the invention has been described inconjunction with specific embodiments thereof, the foregoing descriptionand examples are intended to illustrate, but not limit the scope of theinvention. Other aspects, advantages and modifications will be apparentto those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and theseaspects and modifications are within the scope of the invention anddescribed and claimed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. An oral care implement comprising: a head and ahandle, the head having a front surface and an opposing rear surface, atleast one tooth cleaning element extending from the front surface; areservoir storing a fluid; an applicator positioned on the rear surfaceof the head; a delivery member extending from the reservoir to theapplicator; and wherein the applicator and the delivery member comprisea capillary material.
 2. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein thedelivery member is fluidly coupled to the reservoir and to theapplicator.
 3. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the applicatorand the delivery member are separate elements that are fluidly coupledtogether to facilitate flowing the fluid from the reservoir to theapplicator through the delivery member via capillary action.
 4. The oralcare implement of claim 3 wherein the applicator and the delivery memberare in direct surface contact with one another.
 5. The oral careimplement of claim 4 wherein the applicator has a proximal end and adistal end and the delivery member has a proximal end and a distal end,and wherein the proximal end of the delivery member is directly coupledto the reservoir and the distal end of the delivery member is in directsurface contact with the proximal end of the applicator.
 6. The oralcare implement of claim 1 wherein the delivery member is located withina passageway that extends through the handle from the reservoir to theapplicator.
 7. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein an outersurface of the applicator is flush with the rear surface of the head. 8.The oral care implement of claim 7 wherein a portion of the applicatoris recessed relative to the rear surface of the head.
 9. The oral careimplement of claim 1 wherein a perimeter of the rear surface of the headsurrounds the applicator.
 10. The oral care implement of claim 1 whereinthe capillary material of the applicator and the delivery membercomprises a porous or fibrous material.
 11. The oral care implement ofclaim 1 wherein the delivery member delivers the fluid from thereservoir to the applicator solely by capillary action.
 12. The oralcare implement of claim 1 wherein the applicator is exposed through anopening formed into the rear surface of the head.
 13. The oral careimplement of claim 1 wherein the fluid is an oral care agent.
 14. Theoral care implement of claim 13 wherein the oral care agent is selectedfrom the group consisting of antibacterial agents, whitening agents,anti-sensitivity agents, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-attachmentagents, plaque indicator agents, flavorants, sensates, and colorants.